How do I reduce the bit rate for existing songs

You can convert AAC and mp3 to a lower bit rate (=lower quality) by setting the desired bit rate in Preferences>Advanced>Importing at 'Setting:' and choosing 'Custom'
Then select the file(s) and choose 'Convert to XXX' in the Advanced menu in the menubar.
iTunes will create copies in the chosen format.

Hope this helps.

M

17' iMac 800 MHz, 768 MB RAM, 200 GB HD, DL burner Mac OS X (10.4.8) iTunes 7.0.1

Hi,

You can do it by converting your file either with a lower bit rate or using an another compression algorithm. Be aware taugh that by doing so, you will loss audio quality. The best way is to restart, if possible, from your original files with your new importing settings.

To change your importing settings, go in the iTunes preferences, in the Advanced tab and then in the Importing tab and set the compressing algortihm and bit rate. AAC encoder is the algorith that will gives you the better compressing ratio.

Then, you you can either chose to reimport from your original CD (iTunes will ask you to replace the previously imported files) or select from the advanced menu the converting selection.

Hi again,

Sorry, we have posted simultanously...

Burning an audio CD will convert back your compressed format to AIFF audio files. This could be done from any compressed audio file you could choose on iTunes.

Any iTunes supported format can be burned to Audio CD.

If your problem is related to a playlist being too long, converting the source files to a lower bit rate won't help.
All file types are converted to the native format of an Audio CD (16 bit PCM), which needs the same room independent of the source file.
Total play time is the restriction, not file size.

M

Sorry Seabeast,

It happened again 🙂

Macmenno,

At least, we are not contradicting ourselves. 🙂